Keeping good employees was the greatest staffing concern for 39% of senior executives in a survey by Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE: RHI). Recruitment ranked next at 22%, despite the economy.

"Many firms are operating with lean teams in which every staff member plays a key role in the business, making retention a greater concern," said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half. "Companies that lose top performers may not only experience declines in productivity but also incur significant costs in replacing these professionals."

Results of the Robert Half International survey question "What is your greatest staffing concern?" were:
*Retention — 39%
*Recruitment — 22%
*Productivity — 17%
*Staff morale — 17%
*Other — 3%
*Don't know — 2%

The survey is based on interviews with 150 senior executives conducted between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15.